Need advice

[iambornagain2011]

Hi, I just came here to get some advice on Mirtazapine hopefully.

I have been on it for several years now, but it has never helped. It never stopped me getting deppressed, and I just get side effects from it. I am over eating due to quitting smoking (that has been easy, quitting smoking not the problem) but considering I used to go between 6 and half, and 7 and half stone, I am now 11 stone. I sleep in late every day, can't motivate myself to do anything, feel like a zombie. But whenever I try to get off this mirtazapine I just cant even reduce. I am on 45mg at night, but can't even get down to 30mg as the withdrawl is horrendous. I am also on 1500mg Depakote a day and 150 mg Chlorpromazine each day. It is definitely the mirtazapine causing me issues as the times I have started to reduce I have had big improvements, only for the withdrawls to start. I have improved in my mental health a lot over the last year but this mirtazapine has me beat. I hate it and regret ever going on it. I do have an appointment with a psych doc on 1st March but I have no faith in them, they never did anything to help before and the last time I tried reducing mirtaz, I did it much slower than the docs recommended and I still couldn't get down from 45 to 30mg. Please advise me if anyone has had problems but magaged to overcome with this drug. It is crazy as I have quit drink, cigarettes and pretty much every treet drug, but I just cant get off this stuff. Please advise a very desperate person. It will be appreciated.:shrug:

[JT69]

Hi,

Pretty scary reading your post as I hope to come off too soon. I have been taking it for a year now. Started on 15mg went up to 30mg and did manage to go back to 15mg without any problems though I did do it very slowly!!!

Sorry it does not seem to have helped you as it did me, am very suprised you have stayed on so many years when it hasn't helped you? Am guessing it must of been the withdrawal effects??

So sorry cannot be of any further help but am sure there are others that can.

Hope you find a solution.

Jo.xx

[ElizabethJane]

Hi iambornagain I will try to answer your post as best I can. I am not medically trained and am speaking of my experience in taking mirtazapine. I have re-read your post and guess that when you were put on your meds you were suffering from severe mental illness schizophrenia or bi-polar is this correct? In order to withdraw from mirtazapine successfully you will need the support and help of your psychiatrist/GP. They will not want to put you in a position of threatening your mental health. I have successfully withdrawn from mirtazapine. It took me two goes at it as the withdrawals were horrendous. I suffered severe panic attacks, skin crawling, sleeplessness and hallucinations. I managed to do it the second time with the help of diazepan. I am now back on it at 45mg plus lithium 1,000mg. The withdrawals were short lived about two to three weeks but I did feel that I was becoming ill again. I was also taking dothiepin now off it after sixteen years. My advice to you would be temporary admission to hospital there at least there would be some support to come off the drug. My guess is that you might have the potential to become quite ill again quite quickly and your psychiatrist would be better to look after you in the long run? . The depakote and chlorpromazine can cause lethargy and weight gain that you describe. I would suggest that you take withdrawal very very slowly and with possibly the help of some diazepan or whatever your psychiatrist suggests preferably in hospital. Take care and let us know how you are getting on. EJ.